Nothing beats a good book—except perhaps a chance to see that book come to life. Hear the voices and see the faces of some of your favorite NSTA Press authors with our new video interviews! From seeing the real-life dynamic between an author and his illustrator, to hearing real-world classroom challenges these veteran educators have overcome, to learning how central a role science has played in all of their lives, you'll love the behind-the-scenes insights that these Q&As offer!

Bill Robertson

If you love the wit and irreverence that make Bill Robertson's Stop Faking It! series stand apart from other science instructional materials for teachers, don't miss Bill explaining his unique approach in his own words. From force and motion to math to chemistry, Bill and his partner-in-crime-and-illustrator Brian Diskin cover it all. In this interview, hear how the two work together to impart as much wisdom as they do good humor!

Ed Linz and Mary Jane Heater

A truly successful team teaching arrangement may be difficult to execute, but in this interview Ed Linz and Mary Jane Heater, coauthors (with Lori Howard) of Team Teaching Science: Success for All Learners, open up about the challenges they had to overcome and the strategies they have used to create effective—even enjoyable—team teaching partnerships.

Emily Morgan, Karen Ansberry, and Christine Royce

Using high-quality children's picture books to help teach important science concept is a fun and effective way to engage elementary school children in instruction. In the award-winning series Picture-Perfect Science Lessons, Karen Ansberry and Emily Morgan show you how to use this time-saving strategy to reach even reluctant young scientists and struggling readers. The authors also team up with Christine Royce to offer even more lessons that successfully combine science and reading instruction in Teaching Science Through Trade Books. Listen as the three authors—and classroom veterans—explain why picture books are such an effective means of reaching young learners.

Michael Bowen

Predict-observe-explain sequences (POEs) are powerful tools for helping students achieve a more in-depth understanding of the subject at hand and for helping teachers gain insight into students’ thinking throughout the learning process. Michael Bowen, coauthor (with John Haysom) of Predict, Observe, Explain: Activities Enhancing Scientific Understanding, explains how best to use POEs in the classroom and why they are so effective.

Norman LaFave

Feeling overwhelmed by a new teaching assignment that requires you to tackle advanced physical science or math concepts? You’re not alone! Norman LaFave has been in your shoes and his experiences led him to write You Want Me to Teach What? Sure-Fire Methods for Teaching Physical Science and Math. In this interview, he discusses how his time working in both corporate America and the classroom helped him formulate a strategy for conquering those feelings of bewilderment.

Page Keeley

Page Keeley, author of the award-winning Uncovering Student Ideas in Science series, loves to ask, "What do your students know—or think they know—about key science concepts?" In this video, not only does Keeley explain how she came to work with formative assessment probes and why they are so effective at helping teachers dispel students preconceptions, but she also challenges viewers to consider their own thinking with a probe about chicken eggs!

Sara McCubbins

How did Kirsten K.'s body wind up at the bottom of a lake—and what do wedding cake ingredients, soil samples, radioactive decay, bone age, blood stains, bullet matching, and drug lab evidence reveal about whodunit? These mysteries are at the core of Forensics in Chemistry: The Case of Kirsten K., a teacher resource book that meets the unique needs of high school chemistry classes in a highly memorable way. Listen as coauthor Sara McCubbins (with Angela Codron) describes describes how she came to create this masterful curriculum and how you, too, can incorporate it into your chemistry instruction.

Tom O'Brien

NSTA Press author of the Brain-Powered Science series, Tom O'Brien, describes a discrepant event as an experiment or demonstration in which the outcome is not what students expect. In this video, watch as he presents such an activity and describes why challenging students' preconceived notions in this way is an effective means of getting students to really think about and understand the scientific concepts.

Steve Rich

The idea of connecting elementary and middle school students with the nature just beyond the schoolhouse walls is exciting—but perhaps a bit intimidating. Veteran teacher and author of Bringing Outdoor Science In (and Outdoor Science: A Practical Guide) Steve Rich understands your concern, but the exuberance with which he describes outdoor activities will inspire you to give it a try. He even offers numerous suggestions for how students can enjoy the outside world from the comforts of their desks!

Richard Konicek-Moran

Richard Konicek-Moran's popular series Everyday Science Mysteries (grades K–8) can be your passport to helping students see and explore the wonder and mystery that's all around them. By beginning each chapter with a story about an everyday occurrence that can spark student interest, Konicek-Moran demonstrates how science is part of everyday life. Students identify the story's problem or mystery to be solved, formulate questions, test their ideas, and come up with possible explanations. Stories include "Party Meltdown," which examines ice cubes melting at different rates, and "Stuck!" which uses a playground slide to explore properties of friction. Watch a new interview with author Richard Konicek-Moran to learn more about how investigating mysteries about the everyday world can be a gateway to enthusiasm for K–8 students.

Darci Harland

"STEM" is one of the biggest buzz words in the science education world today, and NSTA Press author Darci Harland offers insight into why STEM education—and particularly research—is so critical to student development of science literacy. In the first in a series of author interviews, listen to her describe the skills and experiences students gain when conducting long-term STEM research projects. She even offers tips on how to overcome potential challenges. Then check out STEM Student Research Handbook for a comprehensive look at each stage of large-scale research projects—from background research and proposal writing to using statistics to interpret data to poster presentations. Harland helps all teachers, even those who have never designed an experiment on their own, coach their students through the research process.